


On Melancholy Hill

by if_i_mae



Series: Watching Over You [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Angst, Everyone who is Dead has Already Died, Human Corpse Party!!, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Side Rosemary, almost forgot, dirkjake???, side davekat, side..., that can be open to interpretation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 19:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16666561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/if_i_mae/pseuds/if_i_mae
Summary: Terezi Pyrope's personal guardian angel: John Egbert accompanies her and her friends on a plane trip to Washington state where his own funeral is being hosted. Along the way he learns more about the different types of angels and how they go about fulfilling their duties. As well as learning how he can fulfill his own.Can be read separately, but it's the 2nd in a series so maybe read She's Not Made of Candy first. It explains the premise and whatnot.





	On Melancholy Hill

**Author's Note:**

> Was supposed to be another one-shot, but requires 2 chapters. RIP
> 
> Chapter inspiration comes from: The Kids Aren't Alright by Fall Out Boy

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling turntechGodhead [TG]

CG: CAN SOLLUX COME CRASH AT THE PLACE WE’RE GOING TO?

CG: HE NEEDS TO KNOW IF HE SHOULD MAKE PLANS ASSHOLE.

TG: sollux? what’s he care?

TG: not that i can’t like. appreciate him wanting to come with

TG: whatever

TG: just dude. what the fuck

TG: ...

TG: karkat i thought this conversation was on the express train to chat city.

TG: where the tickets are free and the girls are pretty

TG: except in this case the girl is my phone and her price is my battery life

TG: better hurry up before she doubles up on me. i don’t have enough to pay for all these drinks she keeps ordering. what’s next, she comes knocking on my door. saying i’m the father?

TG: dude seriously save me from myself

TG: you know i can’t resist a woman’s wily ways

CG: I SEE YOU’RE TEXT BUBBLE MOVING SO STOP RIGHT THERE.

CG: IF I HAVE TO SIT THROUGH ANOTHER SECOND OF YOUR GROSS FASCINATION WITH BEING SHAT ON, I WILL VOMIT DIRECTLY INTO YOUR PROTEIN CHUTE.

TG: ...

CG: THANK YOU.

CG: NOW ONTO THE MATTER AT HAND. SOLLUX CURRENTLY CAN *NOT* TALK TO PEOPLE FOR SEVERAL SELECT REASONS. MAINLY BECAUSE HE DOESN’T LIKE MOST OF YOU TO BOTHER TALKING TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

TG: wow okay

TG: that definitely helps his case 

TG: loads

CG: SHUT UP IT’S COMPLICATED.

CG: THE GUY IS UNDER WITNESS PROTECTION.

CG: HE HAS RULES AND SHIT HE HAS TO FOLLOW. SO IF HE’S GOING TO BREAK THEM IT HAS TO BE FOR A GOOD FUCKING REASON.

CG: NOT THAT HE DOESN’T BREAK THEM CONSTANTLY BY TALKING TO ME FOR EXAMPLE. BUT THAT’S BESIDE THE POINT.

CG: HE DOES ACTUALLY GIVE A CRAP EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE. AND IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG SINCE HE’S SEEN ANY OF US AFTER ALL THAT SHIT HIT A LITERAL TURBO JET PROPELLER.

TG: the vriska thing with aradia

CG: RIGHT! IT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THAT FUCKING LONG.

TG: but

CG: HE DOESN’T NEED A RIDE.

CG: HE DOESN’T NEED TO COME TO THE FUNERAL EVEN. IT’S JUST CLOSE TO WHERE HE IS AND I’D LIKE IT IF HE COULD STAY WITH US.

CG: AFTER ALL THIS, I’D REALLY APPRECIATE GETTING TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH HIM.

TG: right. i guess that’s fine. it’s just roxy’s place and she won’t care.

TG: ... i guess he could come to the funeral too. it’s a public thing i guess. or open invitation. Whatever.

TG: who am i to say who can and can’t come.

TG: besides the guy mr. e trusted to not let absolute scum in.

TG: sollux isn’t absolute scum right?

TG: cause i might have to revoke that open invitation

TG: if he still is

TG: i remember him as pretty scummy

CG: JUST STOP TALKING ALREADY!

CG: FUCK HE’S CHILL. TOO CHILL ACTUALLY. I MEAN.

CG: JUST. TRUST ME. SOLLUX IS AN ALRIGHT GUY. OKAY?

CG: DON’T TELL HIM I SAID THAT.

TG: alright

TG: alright alright. i mean

TG: i trust you

CG: THANK YOU DAVE.

CG: I’LL GO TELL HIM.

CG: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE I GO.

CG: DAVE?

TG: nah i’m good

TG: go talk with your bro <3

CG: OKAY THEN.

CG: WILL DO <3

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling turntechGodhead [TG]

It’s been about a month since John’s death. Jade hovers lazily over Dave’s shoulder, watching as he closes Pesterchum. The boy looks worn and Jade can’t blame him. Going through your old pictures of your newly deceased best friend and then going straight into a conversation about who is allowed to go to said friend’s funeral is a lot for anyone.

Pictures of the two pals are strewn in piles on Dave’s bed. A specific pile is sectioned off from the rest, ready to go on the plane ride with them to Washington. Mr. Egbert’s request.

Footsteps stomp up to their apartment’s door and an unceremonial entrance warns of Terezi Pyrope’s arrival. Curious, Jade floats through the walls separating them until she’s in their living room. Terezi is passing her, most likely to go yak with Dave. John enters not too much later. He said he’s been trying to give her space for mysterious reasons.

John gives Jade a weary smile after he fazes through the door. “Hey Jade.”

“Hey you too! Excited yet?”

John’s face goes from weary to weary with a side of constipation. “We’re taking a plane full of grieving assholes over to my mom’s hometown to go have a look at my cremated remains. It’s not exactly something I’m thrilled about.”

“So no?”

“So no.”

“Oh,” Jade huffs, frowning at him, “But we’ll get to see our family again! I haven’t seen Grandpa since… well since I died!”

John’s eyes widen. “Wow. Yeah Grandpa Harley will probably come huh? That’s crazy that you haven’t seen him this whole time.”

“Right? And who knows when the next time is we’ll see them again…”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. We should appreciate this… I can’t think of one other time Terezi would even want to go to Washington.”

“Now you’re getting it, John! Get psyched!”

John does his dumb little fake laugh bit, his eyes skipping over to the hallway. “I’ll try to. Can we go check on Dave and Terezi now? It’s been awhile.”

Jade rolls her eyes. “It’s been… a minute? But sure let’s go.”

Jade hovers after John as he seeks out Dave’s room and then fazes into it. Inside, Dave is reclining uncomfortably in his desk chair while Terezi lays back in his bed. They’re both looking at their phones in dead silence.

Jade raises her hand up next to her mouth and whispers to John, “I’m really glad we came to check up on them. We came just in time.”

John shoves Jade’s shoulder. Terezi grimaces. “Shuddup, I’m new! I’m allowed to worry all the time! What if they had been playing with swords? Dave does that sometimes!”

Jade makes a face. “He actually doesn’t, but sure. Terezi could have also totally pulled a blade out of her cane, murdering Dave in cold blood. Oh, the possibilities!”

“She could have!” John’s eyes widen at first in a way Jade thinks is comical, but then makes her weary as John’s shock never fades.

“John.”

“Terezi’s crazy like that! Jade you don’t know-“

“Terezi does not have a blade in her cane.”

“How do _you_ know that?”

Jade puts her hands on her hips.

Dave raises his head to acknowledge Terezi, “He’ll be here in ten.”

“Rum-pus. Par-ty.” Terezi cheers in monotone, pumping her hand in the air for emphasis. Her tongue then immediately goes back to her screen. Dave gets up and starts grabbing some of his things: a duffle bag and a small brief case. Like some strange mix breed of basketball player and businessman.

Terezi follows after Dave as he leaves the room, taking a wide berth around John as she goes by.

*

It’s a rough trip, but once they’re all waiting to get on the plane itself, it isn’t too bad. Dirk brought Dave, Terezi, and Karkat to the airport via rented car. Later to then meet up with Rose and Kanaya inside the airport. Above the bored group of airport traffic, John and Jade trail after them, careful not to faze through any of the travelers. This endeavor gets harder and harder as they then have to funnel down into the airplane itself.

“Ugh, this is horrible. Everyone here smells so bad. Are we in Washington yet?” John whines as they hover slightly through the ceiling. They’re almost at the stairway that leads into the airplane.

“I wish that was my problem! Do you know how many digestive systems I’ve experienced since we’ve got here? I’ll give you a hint, John, it’s more than I usually experience. Which is none!”

“You can’t smell this? You’re kidding me,” John groans.

“I’ll have you know, intimate one on ones with someone’s inner goop is not pleasant! In fact, probably less pleasant than your ‘bad smells’. Which, by the way, nothing smells! It’s just you being a smelly pooplord as usual!”

“Hey I resent that! I am the _king_ of poop and all poop related jokes and I will be addressed as such!”

Everybody gets settled inside, and the plane gears up to fly. Jade and John take a moment to catch where everyone is at. Karkat, Dave, and Terezi share a lane: Terezi by the window and Dave in the middle. Jade, feeling the urge to snoop, swoops over to see what they’re doing to pass the time. Reluctantly, John glides through the aisle to join her.

Terezi’s face squishes up the moment John gets close and she huffs out a sigh. Dave looks up from his phone, giving her an impartial: “Sup?”

She shakes her head, grumbling, “Planes suck.” John feels like he should head up to the roof of the airplane. At least he can’t bother anyone up there with his mere presence.

Jade stays hovering though, nosing through Karkat and Dave’s phones for whatever reason. Waiting impatiently, John hovers further down the aisle.

After a few minutes of this though, John cracks. “Have you been this nosey the whole time? Jade, this is like, next level invasive.”

Jade rolls her eyes and has the nerve to get comfy in her position over Karkat and Dave’s shoulders. “What does it matter? It just makes me better at my job anyway. Don’t tell me you don’t do the same with Terezi.”

John holds the silence, giving Jade a disapproving look.

The plane jitters around them then, making all of the living grumble. Some get green faced. A kindly voice over the intercom tells them that they’ve hit a bit of turbulence and Jade’s face grows worried, like she just realized what a death trap their assignments had put themselves into.

Dave, for his credit, doesn’t seem that perturbed. Jade gives him a final once over anyway before she hovers over to John. “I’m going to go give the plane a look around. Make sure everything looks right. Stay with these guys?”

John raises his eyebrows. “Since when did you get a degree in engineering?” Jade sticks her tongue out at him as she flies off. Hopefully she can curb her paranoia in the meantime.

For now, John guesses he’s stuck with babysitting. Briefly he checks the row behind theirs to see how the rest of them are doing. Dirk, sat by the window, looks a little tense but still chill. Rose is calmly knitting away at her latest project and Kanaya’s having her way with some book John can’t see the cover of. All in all, it looks like just another boring flight.

Terezi hunches upwards then to get up, but doesn’t get far when Dave reminds her that they have to stay seated. She hisses at him, “I have to piss, David.”

Karkat leans around Dave, demanding, “And how the fuck do you plan to do that on this rollercoaster right now?” Another gust of wind shakes the whole plane, making Terezi sit down in a huff. Her face looks pinched.

She’s breathing hard through her nose and turns her head quick to look outside. “Whatever.”

Terezi only starts looking worse and worse as they hit more turbulence though. Like some mix of needing to puke, but also not being able to breathe. It’s making John anxious just watching. The moment they hear they can move around the cabin again, Terezi’s up in an instant.

John follows after her as she rushes to the bathroom. When she shuts the door in his face, John waits outside. His hunch is proven right when there’s no sound of rushing fluids from the other side. Taking a deepily unnecessary breath, John fazes through the door. Terezi’s leaned over the sink, panting like her life depends on it.

Tears instantly sting her eyes when John enters the room. “Jegus, I thought this was done. _Why?_ ” She pants some more and then quickly cups her mouth, probably trying to hold down whatever food that wants to come up. John’s just making this worse, he knows. But there has to be something he can do…

It reeks in here, like it does everywhere else in this hell plane. But especially here. Knowing he can’t do much else, John makes some wind gust inside the bathroom. It makes Terezi stiffen and she takes a deep breath. Then another. Her face is losing some of the teal that had been surfacing.

John makes some more light breezes in a hope that it’s helping curb the nauseating smell. Terezi takes more deep breathes and she pushes herself away from the sink to slink down against the opposite wall. She sits on the floor there, breathing in the gusts of air like a lifeline. Her hair blows slowly in the mild wind. The air feels cleaner already.

Terezi laughs a dry laugh, looking boneless. “No one’s going to believe me if I tell them about this…” Shit. This was… This was probably overkill. John realizes what he’s done now. He’s gone and created air circulation in an enclosed room, like an _idiot_.

“John?” Terezi asks the air above her. John stiffens. Is this breaking protocol? Will he be sent to hell for making her aware of his existance? So many questions rise suddenly and every one of them makes John sick.

“If that’s you, John… I don’t know if you’re haunting me or what. But… Thanks.” John settles, realizing that it doesn’t matter anymore. She knows or at least has some understanding that he’s there. What matters now is that he keeps doing his job until something changes. The consequences will come when they come.  

Slowly, John settles onto the bathroom floor next to her, keeping up a gentle breeze around her. She gets a sad smile and leans his way. Not quite actually touching him, but the gesture is there. They stay there like that until someone comes knocking on the bathroom door.

Jade gives him a dubious look as they leave the bathroom. John just shakes his head and glides over everyone’s head so that he can hover over Terezi. He’s going to make this flight as comfortable for her as he can. That’s all he can do now.

*

The six living people look like hot messes after the six hour long flight, but they survive it. Roxy and Jane come to pick them all up from the airport. John and Jade perk up when the get to see Jane. It’s been so long and they’re older cousin has a septum nose ring now! Crazy!

Crazier yet, tagging Jane and Roxy is a troll girl. A ghosty, guardian troll girl. John can’t place her, but Jade rushes to the new guardian like an old friend. “Nepetaaa!”

Jade’s guardian friend is dressed in a black strapless with a ruffled skirt and olive accents. A cute black collar accents the look. Weird semi-formal must be the heavenly-corporate style.

Jade and Nepeta fill the silence as everyone trudges their luggage through the airport and then out into the parking lot. It’s early evening, though it feels like it should be later.  

Dave, Karkat, Rose, and Kanaya all pile into Jane’s minivan, while Dirk hitches it up in Roxy’s pickup. Nepeta leaves John and Jade to watch over Roxy. Meanwhile, John and Jade latch themselves to the minivan and then they’re off. It takes them another hour and some lose change before they get to Roxy’s place.

Everyone piles out when they get there, and John takes the moment to appreciate their new temporary home. Roxy’s place looks like some strange modern commentary about abstract art out in heavily forested biomes. Or something. It’s got lots of white protruding angles with more than its fair share of windows. That speaks for it plenty.

Jane shows everyone inside and they spread out immediately in the open living space provided. A kitchen can be spotted in the right corner, sporting a nice clean island bar. Looks just like John remembers. Jade, oddly, doesn’t freak out about how nice everything is. Implying she’s been here before… Well, actually she probably has been here more times than John even. Being glued to Dave’s side since her death would mean that she’s seen more of Dave’s family than John has… Which is weird to think about.

The house sprawls apart from the living area with doors leading in all different directions and stairways going both up and downstairs. As everyone settles into the couches in the living room, Roxy goes over to the upstairs stairway and yells for someone to come down.

John and Jade hear the strange accent from the person upstairs and they know exactly who it is. Their faces light up, they never get to see this guy, but he was always the cool cut-off cousin. Out living the strange and adventurous life that you would only assume to be in fiction, but no! That was their cousin! Their very estrange, slightly socially awkward cousin.

“So who all’s come-?!” Jake English calls as he comes tottering precariously down the stairs. Instantly, a lot of people stiffen up at the sight of him, considering how uncanny his appearance is compared to John’s. However Dirk is all Jake sees. Upon direct eye contact, Jake falters and slows down to a safer speed until he’s at the bottom of the stairwell. “Well. ‘Ello, Dirk. Been some time, hasn’t it?”

Dirk doesn’t respond right away, and Jane lets out a huff. “Come on then, Roxy. Dirk, make sure the kids behave.” Roxy gives everyone a friendly wave, and Jane leaves her van keys in Dirk’s hands before they head back out. Nepeta squeezes Jade’s hand and she’s gone too.

Dirk remains stunned until the door closes a little too loudly behind them. “Right,” Dirk says suddenly, spinning the ring of Roxy’s keys around his pointer finger. They fly off his finger and drop straight to the floor. “Can we go upstairs?”

Jake nods numbly and Dirk and him rush up the stairs, leaving everyone else to their devices.

Dave comes back over to the front door, picking up the keys. “Yo, when’s Sollux coming?”

“Sollux’s coming?” Terezi interrupts, more so shrieking than anything else.

Karkat, who’s curled around his phone next to the arm of a couch, answers anyway. “Anytime now. I sent him my coordinates.”

“Sweet. Cool,” Dave comments drily, dropping the keys into a bowl that is probably their long time home. It’s a fancy white bowl just sitting around. What else is it good for? Then he picks up his luggage and heads off through the door under the stairs, heading off to who knows where. Concerned looking, Jade ghosts after him.

Karkat raises an eyebrow at his boyfriend’s retreating back, but stays on the couch anyway. John hovers on over to where Terezi is sitting next to Karkat. She’s tapping away on her phone, but it doesn’t look like anyone’s responding. Which is… weird. But whatever, she has her prerogatives.

Not much later, Rose and Kanaya use the excuse of settling into their room to separate from the group. It’s only then that Terezi peaks away from her phone to smell Karkat’s way. The sniffling makes Karkat’s face twitch, but he acts like he can’t sense her interest.

Finally she just speaks up, “So Sollux huh? Isn’t that kind of… weird.” Karkat just hums noncommittally, sounding way softer than he usually does. At least, when he was around John. It surprises John every time he discovers a new side of someone, just by not existing on their plane of reality.

“He wanted to come.”

“You begged him, didn’t you.”

The air is stiff after that. Karkat unwilling to answer. It takes a knock at the door before anyone speaks up. Shoving his phone in his pocket, Karkat begrudgingly gets up to go answer the door.

John stays by Terezi’s side, but keeps an eye on Karkat. When he opens the door at first, Karkat just stands there blocking the view, but he chats to someone slightly taller than him for a little while before letting them in. And there’s Sollux. Actual real life Captor in the flesh, and it makes John kind of giddy. Sollux was always a real tool in school, but he was like… a fake tool. Like Dave. Only shittier. It’s still nice to see at least some of their old school mates still care though. Even if they were shitty fake tools like Sollux.

“Hey TZ,” Sollux greets, holding up his hand in greeting. Behind him is another guardian troll girl, but this one is in a ton of black lace over a dark wine-red dress.

“Hey freak,” Terezi greets back in kind, her face not peeling away from her phone at all.

It makes Sollux roll his eyes, but then his attention is back on Karkat and he doesn’t seem to care anymore. Karkat’s quick to take a handful of the luggage that Sollux had brought with. From there, they head up the stairs, whispering between each other the whole way. The guardian angel with Sollux gives John a friendly wave before following after them.

Terezi huffs when it’s clear that she’s being left alone. She taps away at her phone quietly before she stops, not bothering to press enter.

“John? Can you… do that windy thing again? If you’re here. It smells like you’re here…” 

Well. What is he supposed to do here? Let her think she’s going insane? Maybe that would be the right choice… Still he gently leans down and ruffles Terezi’s hair. She lets out a gentle sigh of relief and tilts her face into the breeze welcomingly. “Fucking ass,” she breathes out happily, “Can’t bother to answer a memo? What, technology too tough for your new spooky ghost bod?”

She holds her phone up helpfully, and John gets to view a couple of blurry lines Terezi had punched into her memo app. He cringes as she pulls the phone away. There’s several lines dedicated to trying to get ahold of him, some of it being about that one scary night…

Terezi groans, “Ugh, don’t worry about it. Just know I’m mad at you. Yeah, I’m super pissed,” she says not too convincingly, “So watch out! Once I figure out how to kick your incorporeal ass, my foot will be up yours before you can yell ‘boo’!” She kicks her foot up for emphasis, but then holds it there. Her body sags. “This feels so dumb…”

John ruffles her again, a way to try to communicate this time. Though he doesn’t know if that’s really a good thing or not. There never were any warnings against this sort of thing. It makes Terezi’s shoulders relax though, a wide smile spreading on her face. Screw it.

*

Eight people to one minivan is a tight squeeze. It’s the next morning and everyone heading out for John’s funeral.

Dirk and Jake are in the front seats meddling with the gps, while everyone else just has to make due. Dave, Karkat, and Sollux find some way to squeeze all their shoulders, shoulder to shoulder, in the back row of seats. Creating a bad overlap of dude dominoes in the process. Which leaves Rose and Kanaya in the seats midway through the van and sticking Terezi with the only available space: the floor in between them.

Everyone’s wardrobe matches the sober experience they are setting out to. Funerals aren’t really a troll thing, but even they take on the customary semi-formal dull tones. Not a far stretch for them to be fair, but the effort is still visible.

Up on the roof of the minivan, Jade and John are catching up with a long lost friend: Aradia Megido.

“So you’ve been Sollux’s guardian angel this whole time?” Jade asks in disbelief.

“I have,” Aradia says with a small smile, “I’ve been with Sollux, talking him through pain and helping him in the little ways a guardian angel is supposed to. We’ve been through a lot together.”

John jumps. “You talk to Sollux?”

Jade’s eyes go wide. “We all thought…” Aradia nods and Jade looks guilty. John looks between them, confused.

“We thought what?”

Jade ignores John, saying, “Dave took your death so hard. He didn’t talk about it much, but he still keeps your schoolyard pictures by his desk.” Aradia’s eyes go soft at the thought.

“Dave knew Aradia?” John asks, completely out of the loop. Apparently this was an old friend of theirs, but John can’t place who she is for the life of him.

Aradia sighs, “I died before you moved, so you wouldn’t remember. But yes, Dave and I spent a lot of time together in elementary school.”

The minivan starts to move and the angels all burrow themselves part way through the roof to anchor themselves better to the vehicle.

“Oh.”

“Sollux used to say that he could hear you from the grave…” Jade says slowly, her face looking pinched. “No one believed him and we all used to yell at him for saying something like that. Dave and him used to fight a lot before he left…”

Aradia nods. “That they did. But it didn’t matter. The police were eventually able to figure out what happened, and Sollux was sent into witness protection right before high school.”

“I thought he was just getting homeschooled…” John says agape.

Aradia laughs then, light and happy, “No! No, well, he was homeschooled, but that wasn’t why he didn’t keep in touch. I reassured him that talking to one or two old friends wouldn’t hurt.” Aradia winks.

“Aradia… How did you die, though?” Jade asks and John watches Aradia sombers some at the question.

“I was murdered. You must have known that Vriska was imprisoned.”

John’s eyes widen. “Right! They said she killed someone… No…”

Aradia nods. “That she did. She used her cerulean mind-control powers to make Sollux kill me. For a long time, Sollux blamed himself for my death… Terezi was the one to piece together what happened. She’s the reason that Vriska was found out.”

All this time, John thought there was a chance Vriska was innocent. That she took someone’s fall… But it really was her. And John fell for it like a chum. Chewing over Aradia’s words, something sparks his interest. “Terezi handed Vriska in?”

Aradia smiles, “Yes I was also surprised when I found out. They were rather close, but I think in the end the injustice was too much for Terezi. She couldn’t stand by and watch her best friend ruin more lives.”

John lets out a breath of air. “That’s crazy…”

“I’ve made peace with it,” Aradia says simply, “Crazier things have been happening. Sollux said you two had died. I hadn’t hoped to see you in the afterlife.”

“Yeah, I’ve been looking after Dave since junior year. John just got Terezi as his assignment.”

“Ah, so you’re like me? Lifetime gigs?” Aradia asks politely.

Jade nods, saying, “Yeah. A lot of us from school are in this… program thing now. The angel stuff. Either Nepeta or Feferi will be the funeral, tagging along with Roxy.”

Nepeta was from last night, but Feferi. That’s another name John had almost forgotten. Man, their school was super messed up in retrospect.

“I’ll have to ask more about their arrangement then. I know some of what partial assignments are like, but it seems needlessly complicated, doesn’t it?” Jade nods in agreement while John just shrugs. This conversation is getting boring fast.

Instead he zones out the rest of the way, watching the scenery fly by. The woods in Washington feel so different to look at. There’s a certain amount of nostalgia.

And just like that, they were slowing down to turn the last corner right into a parking lot full of cars. They trail around before they find a parking spot and then everyone’s piling out of the car. While the passengers amble out, the angels look for the respective charges.

Terezi stays close to Dave’s side, but her head is tilted up like she’s looking at the sky. John’s taken that to be his cue, so he slides by her head and blows the softest of breezes through her curls. It makes her smile.

“Did you make her hair blow?” Aradia asks him pleasantly, her arm wrapped loosely around one of Sollux’s. Slightly fazing through him in her efforts.

Keeping his voice low as they approach the funeral home, John answers, “Yeah… She knows it’s me. She’s been able to smell me ever since I died.”

“That’s interesting,” Aradia says, lowering her voice to match his, “That fits nicely into a theory I have about us guardian angels. I think we are given specific gifts that pair well with our charge’s needs. Or maybe we are given charges that suit our innate abilities. One of the two.”

Keeping close to their charges, the two angels faze through the funeral home walls as the group heads inside.

They’re immediately greeted by a small foyer that holds a bulletin with a nice picture of John hanging up. There’s flowers decorating the picture and signs hanging up to direct the funeral goers farther in. Beside the bulletin, John’s dad is there with a sad smile on his face.

“Hello, kids. Dave, do you have the pictures?”

Dave slides to the front of the group and holds up his brief case.

“Great. Go find Janie and she’ll find a good place for them.”

Further inside the funeral home is one great room filled with tables and a stage to the back of the building. By the stage are rows of chairs. Candles glow softly on each table and the stage has another blown up image of John, surrounded again with more flowers. Under the image is a nice small table with an urn on it.

Jade squeezes John’s arm as they all file into the room. When he looks Jade’s way he sees only understanding there and he raises his hand to squeeze her hand back. You never live thinking that you’ll one day attend your own funeral. And yet here they are.

There are also a lot of people already here. Most seem to be from the Harley family, but there are more than a fair share of Egberts, Claires, and Crockers in the mix. It makes John’s friends stick out like a sore thumb, especially the trolls.

John notices Grandpa Harley sitting at a crowded table and he points him out to Jade. Her eyes go to the old man and then to John worryingly. “Go, I’ll be fine.”

Bolstered, Jade goes over to Grandpa Harley, splitting off from Dave who is heading to the stage where Jane seems to be fiddling with things. Terezi follows him, her face fighting a strange expression.

John slowly starts floating to the ceiling of the room, getting a large overview of the whole event. If it weren’t for such an awful reason, John would be pleasantly surprised that so many came in his honor. It just leaves a bitter taste though, to know that they were all sad because of him.

Floating up with him, Aradia gazes around as well. “Is this what human funerals are normally like? It’s rather nice of so many people to come to say goodbye…”

Frowning, John shrugs. “Yeah basically. It is nice, huh.”

“I told Sollux that you and Jade were here. Maybe you could even say goodbye to some of the people yourself? Before you have to go your separate ways?” John’s eyes bulge and he’s already shaking his head wildly.

“Tell Sollux not to tell anyone. If my family hears Sollux saying he can communicate with me, they’ll think he’s nut or even throw him out! And it’ll look bad on everyone else so. Just- Just don’t okay? Don’t let him do that.”  

Understandingly, Aradia agrees and floats down to talk with Sollux. Her hand cups his ear as she whispers secretively to him. His face shows no sign that he hears her except for a slight pull of the lip, barely even noticeable.

So this is a funeral. People ambling around, talking and laying flowers by a picture that John kinda wishes wasn’t the poster board for what he looked like in life. But whatever. It’s nice anyway. This is all really… really nice. 

*

John’s dad closes the door to the foyer when the funeral home owner comes to collect him. John’s mom comes to walk with him and all three of them go up to the stage. It’s a nice reception and a couple of different people go up to the stage to say a few words.

The most notable of speeches is Dave and Rose’s combined speech talking about their time together. They share a couple of stories about John’s well-known antics and some of his more courageous moments. It honestly makes John want to cry with how nice they’re making him sound.

By the end, Dave’s voice was strained and Rose looked more distant than before. Karkat and Kanaya stand by the stage to guild them to their seats.

There’s a final slice of time then reserved for going to say goodbye to John’s ashes. Everyone heads up to the stage and passes by a couple of tables set up that are filled with photos. Pictures that Dave had collected, John realizes. Though of course there are family pictures thrown into the mix.

Jade comes to hug John’s side as they go up to look. His whole life is spread out there… Pictures with his parents, his grandmother… There are pictures with Dave, of course, but also just with everyone. From Rose and Kanaya to Terezi. Vriska. Ugh, prom, how could John forget?

There’s also old photos of John and Jade together. Jade smiles sadly as she points them out to him. They were so young and happy… Not that they’re that old now, but dying young makes you nostalgic for when you weren’t dead.

Terezi goes to pick up one of the photos, a telltale sign for a ruined piece of paper to come, and Dave puts his hand on her wrist. He reassures Terezi that he can print up some pictures just for her to lick if she promises to not lick any right now. It makes John laugh in shock. For once, she actually listens to someone’s plea to not lick the thing. The world must be ending.

“So, Mr. Egbert, Misses Egbert,” Dave says as he nears the urn with Terezi and Karkat, “Where’s,” Dave coughs, “Where’s the big man- John- John’s ashes? Where are those going then? After all this is over… End of the day kind of deal. The final frontier-“ Karkat elbows Dave, giving Dave a hint to stop.

In the meantime, Mr. Egbert’s eyes had gone misty. Misses Egbert speaks up as her husband gets lost in his thoughts, “They’ll be going on the mantel next to Nanna’s. Unless we find some last… word as to what he would have wanted done with them. Our John, he never did talk much about death…”

“Right,” Dave says curtly. “Cool,” he cringes.

Karkat recovers for him, “Thank you for letting all of us come. I know you don’t know most of his friends too well, but it means a lot that you’d include us in all of this.”

Mr. Egbert blinks. “Of course we would include you. John always kept such good friends, always speaking so high of all of you. I know more about you bunch through him than I think you’d expect.”

It’s then Karkat’s turn to short circuit, red tears threatening to fall from his eyes. “Right. He would talk about us, he never could shut up.”

A surprised laugh leaves Mr. Egbert and Karkat blushes in embarrassment. “Wait- no, I mean-“

Dave chuckles lowly and starts to pull Karkat along. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“No-“

“It’s fine, son. No harm done,” Mr. Egbert claps Karkat’s shoulder before he goes. John’s pretty sure he does see some tears fall then and it makes his gut wrench.

Off the stage, Terezi tugs on Dave’s sleeve, asking to be pointed the right way back out. “Need some air.” Dave turns her body until she’s directly facing the door. She gives a little salute before she marches out, her cane poking along to help her avoid the tables between her and the door.

John follows after her, taking one last glance around the funeral before going out. Jade is hovering by that one other guardian he’s caught glimpses of. Jade said it that one would be Feferi? Aradia is glued to Sollux’s side up against a wall, whispering in his ear excitedly. He remains impassive the whole while.

Karkat is hunched in a chair next to Dave, their heads close together as the talk between themselves. Not too far away, Rose and Kanaya are doing their own couples’ hang out.

At a table in the back John can just make out Jane, her dad, John’s own dad, and John’s mom having a private conversation. And that at least, makes him smile. Knowing that even without him, they’re staying bonded together. They all need each other right now.

Outside, John finds Terezi slouched against the wall right by the door. She’s tapping her cane irritably, looking around like she’s expecting someone. Oh, wait. She’s probably waiting on him. He should… do the thing.

John plays with her hair, but her scowl only grows longer.

“’Bout time, Egbert. Haven’t you heard not to keep a lady waiting?”

John huffs, answering back, “What, since when-“

“Argh,” Terezi cuts into John’s comeback, rudely, “This is so shitty of you. I hope you know that. All those people are mourning you even though you’re still around! Like what kind of bullshit is that, Egbert! Why me? Why do hang around me so much? Sometimes I’d like to not feel guilty for what I let happen to you!”

Her rant done for the moment, Terezi hunches back against the walk with her arms crosses against her chest tightly. A few moments pass and John just ruffles her hair again, trying to cheer her up. She rolls her eyes, tightening her arms. “Don’t. I’m mad at you.”

John rolls his eyes and hits her with a full blast of wind, blowing everything on her wide.

“God, you always were so immature-“

“Talking to me, TZ?” Sollux asks slyly as him and Aradia come out of the funeral home. Terezi stiffens instantly. “I’ll have you know, people have-have been quoted telling me how mature I am for my age. Like some kind of reward or something. Load of horseshit, really, but it makes a kid feel special…”  

“Just tell me what you want already,” Terezi grumbles, her eyes averting him even though she already doesn’t have to look at him as it is.

“Doesn’t feel so great when the shoes on the other foot, does it?” Sollux gloats, a smile breaking out on his face. Terezi just huffs in reply. “AA says John’s with you. That you can tell he’s near. How’s it feel to be a hypocrite?”

“Shove it, Captor, like you can actually hear her! She’s been dead for ages-“

“And John’s been dead for a month.”

The air remains tense after that, not another word said until the next person comes out.

“You can’t make me stay with them, Dirk-“

“They’re your fucking family. They’ll get over it! But I can’t right now, you have to go-“

“Dirky, come on, you don’t have to be like this-!“ Roxy calls after the two men who are arguing their way across the parking lot.

“You’re always like this English! I thought you’d change in the time you’d been gone, but you didn’t and I can’t- I have to be there for Dave right now and you being in that house isn’t doing anyone any good.”

“Ha! Like that’s why you want me gone! You’re just making excuses up so that you don’t have to see me!” Jake calls back angrily. As they get to the minivan, Dirk slams the driver’s door in Jake’s face and locks the doors. He lifts two middle fingers at Jake, making John’s cousin scream in frustration.

“Fucking- Strider! You haven’t heard the end of this!”

Sollux chuckles and leans to Terezi, “Looks as batshit as it sounds.” Terezi laughs along, shaking her head. John wishes they didn’t chose now to have one of their famous fights.

After the spat, more and more people file out into the parking lot. It isn’t much longer until the rest of their group comes out, followed behind by Roxy and Jane and then Jade and Feferi in the far back.

While most go to crowd around the minivan, Kanaya takes the moment to tell Sollux and Terezi they’re leaving. In a panic, John realizes he hadn’t taken any time to really hang out with his parents. Noticing his stricken look, Aradia puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry. Can you look after Terezi? I need go see my folks one last time.”

Aradia agrees and John hurries back inside to see his parents on the stage, tearing down the flowers with Jake and Mr. Crocker. In the crowd, John hadn’t noticed that Dave still hadn’t left either. He’s standing by John’s dad, sorting through the pictures on the table.

As John comes closer, he hears them muttering. Dave agrees to let his dad take the whole briefcase to copy the photos before they leave. Roxy’s to bring the originals back to her house tomorrow.

“Thank you again, David,” John’s mom says, rustling the pictures, “for all your help. We couldn’t have pulled nearly as many pictures from these few years without your help. And seeing all of John’s friends…” her breathe catches, and John’s dad puts a reassuring hand on her back. When she settles again, she continues, “It really means so much that you all would come to his funeral...”

“He was my best friend…” Dave shrugs, and leaves it that. His lips are held tight. Slowly, John winds an arm around Dave. From the side, it’s easy to see how broken up Dave looks. “Right. I should go then. Catch up with the others.”

John’s dad turns to hug Dave. “Stay safe out there, son…”

For a moment, with John’s arm also over Dave, it almost feels like he’s hugging his dad too.

**Author's Note:**

> Took almost a month to write just this, so who knows when the next chapter for this story will come. Probably will be a Christmas treat. Happy Belated Birthday to me and to you! 
> 
> If you like this series, give the stories a comment. It means the world to hear you guys feedback <3


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